Chapter 11: A Deal with the Fox and the Bell Test
After Kakashi says about test every one in the team seven practiced that includes sakura and sauske meanwhile naruto went to his father's residence and done body exercises as described from the libraries and also practiced his past life body techniques. he began to observe the changes in his body. since he knew that his body has limitations from then he started to do body exercise now its really fruitful.
After doing cultivation hours of time, to increase the stages of body cultivation in the training room of his father's residence, naruto stood shirtless before the large mirror, observing the faint but noticeable changes in his body. his once- feeble and bony body now carried traces of toned muscle. with that he went to sleep.
As the night deepened, naruto laid down, closing his eyes. slowly, he let his consciousness go into the inside of him. he opened his eyes to find himself standing before the massive gate that held the nine-tails prisoner. the oppressive air of demonic energy immediately thickened.
"You're here," a thunderous voice echoed. behind the bars, the colossal fox stirred, its crimson eyes narrowing as it focused on Naruto. the beast's lips curled into a sneer, and without warning, it released a wave of demonic chakra.
naruto stood unfazed. the chakra keeps gushing over him like a storm, but his calm demeanor made the fox to stop threatening him as he looks unfazed. seeing naruto remain unflinching, the nine-tails pulled back.
"What do you want, brat?" Kurama growled.
"why do you dare stand before me?"
"I need your help," naruto stated plainly, his voice steady.
"You dare ask me for help?" kurama snarled, his chakra surging to its peak. the force pushed naruto back a few steps, but he regained his footing, meeting the fox's gaze with a cold look.
"There's going to be a reasonable trade for your cooperation," Naruto said. "I'll let you go free."
"Hahahahaaaaa" kuruma laughed
Kurama's laughter boomed, shaking the air. "Let me go free? I don't need your help in that. If I want to, I can kill you by myself now and can escape on my own!"
Naruto smirked. "If that were true, you'd have done it a long time ago when you and I are sealed together. The seal binds you with me. you're trapped here. no matter how much you try you can't escape. you said you will kill me, well it can happens when the seal weakens. But, are you sure, you could wait until it weakens over time, but how long would it take? may be Decades? may be Centuries? Meanwhile, you're stuck in here."
Kurama narrowed his eyes. "so what's your offer, boy?"
"Simple," Naruto said. "Help me for ten years. In return, I'll learn how to unseal you and let you go free. No tricks, no traps."
The Kuruma become silence for few seconds an then agrees.
"Fine," the beast rumbled. "I'll play along, but betray me, and I'll make sure you suffer a heavy price for it."
Naruto nodded, a sly grin tugging at his lips. "deal."
The morning sun, suns warm light entered all over the room of naruto. he awokes, feels strangely pain all over body. after his usual intense workout, he ignored the passing comments of his sensei and grabbed a quick breakfast before heading to the clearing near the academy.
The area was peaceful and calm but held an underlying tension. the diamond-shaped stone tablet in the center and the three upright wooden chunks gave the site a foreboding presence(bonding practices can be remembered(BDSM)).
sakura and sauske are already present there. sasuke stood near one log, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. sakura was already there, pacing impatiently, occasionally throwing glances at sasuke. at that moment sakura was very frustrated as she came first waited for a long time and she hadn't had dinner last night and no breakfast too. to foget all of that she wanted to have a conversation with sauske. as she started conversation, foot steps were heard by her.
naruto arrived last, leaning lazily against one of the wooden chunks. his cool and unbothered presence immediately irritated sakura as he always disturbs her private time with sauske.
"You're late again!" she snapped, glaring at him. "and you always seem to show up right when I'm trying to talk to sasuke. what's your problem? Oh, right—an orphan wouldn't know anything about basic manners."
Naruto's eyes darkened for a moment, but his smirk remained. He responded calmly, "When I come is my business. coming early, getting frustrated, and blaming others for your anger—is that what you enjoy doing, S..A..K..U..R..A?"
His words hit her mark. sakura clenched her fists, her face is red with embarrassment. "You little—!" she charged at Naruto, her fist aimed directly at his face.
As her clenched fist neared, naruto's hand shot up, effortlessly catching her fist when its an inch gap from his face. sakura froze, shocked. he's never stopped my punches before... why now?
Naruto moves her hand from his face to down still holding her hand, naruto applies pressure on her hand.
"Ahhhhhh" sakura screams.
"First, know your opponent, Second, know yourself. Only then you act." seeing sakura naruto says it.
"I hope you understand it". his words were sharp and direct.
Sakura immediately nods, her eyes wide with a mix of pain and fear. naruto released her hand, pushing her back with enough force to make her land on the ground.
The place fell silent. sasuke glanced at naruto, his eyes narrowing slightly, he didn't expect naruto to do it as she is naruto's crush. while sakura sat stunned on the ground, clutching her hand.
Meanwhile kakashi watches everything, he didn't confront them as it didn't escalate into a big fight.
from a nearby tree, Kakashi finally revealed himself, his voice breaking the tension. "Yo," he greeted, raising a hand lazily. "Sorry, I got lost on the path of life."
naruto's sharp eyes sees the masked man, while sasuke and sakura turned to him with mixed emotions.
Kakashi walked into the clearing, holding a small timer in one hand and two small bells in the other. "let's not waste time. I hope you're all in high spirits because today's test is simple. All you have to do is take these bells from me before the timer runs out." He attached the bells to his belt.
Sakura frowned. "Wait, there are only two bells. But there are three of us."
Kakashi nodded, his visible eye forming a shape of a smile. "exactly. thats the test. the one who doesn't get a bell will be sent back to the academy."
The trio stiffened at the implication. the stakes had just become real. the three of them wanted to pass the test. each one has started to plan on how to do this, themselves.
Sensing their nervousness kakashi chuckled. kakashi placed two lunchboxes on a nearby rock. "those who succeed can eat these. those who fail? well, better luck next time."
the air grew tense as Kakashi set the timer. his casual and carefree demeanor disappeared. "Your test begins... now." Kakashi declared.
(...to be continued)